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| Elena and Clare were presiders at Liturgy on Dec. 5th, 2019 |
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| Clare and Hank Tessandora |
All: In the name of God creator of joy and happiness, and of Jesus our beloved Brother born in a stable, and of Sofia Holy Spirit re-newer of all life. Amen.
Opening Prayer.
All: You came among us, Jesus, to heal the broken hearted and to show us the way to God, our Mother and Father. Help us to extend your compassion to our world. May you bless us with your generative love, for you are God-with-us, now and forever. Amen.
See Sheet for Readings
First reading:
Psalm response:
Second reading
Gospel reading
Shared Homily: Where have I found Jesus during 2019? “Who am I as I visit the stable this year? “What gift do I bring to Jesus?
Profession of Faith. All: We believe in God who is creator and nurturer of all. We believe in Jesus Christ our brother and Beloved Son of God who is our faith, hope, love, and our light. Born in a stable, Jesus now resides in our souls. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia who energizes and guides us to rebuild caring communities and to challenge injustices. We believe in the partnership and equality of women and men in our church and world. We believe that all are ONE in the Community of creation. We believe that God calls us to live fully, love tenderly, and serve generously. Amen.
Presider: Always mindful of God’s love and care for us, we bring the needs of God’s people to our loving Creator and Sustainer.
Response: Jesus, God with us, hear our prayer.
Presider: That the 2020 Federal and State budgets will provide for the Common Good of all Americans and a healthy environment for all, we pray. Response.
Presider: That we will dedicate ourselves to working for a sustainable planet and economy for all, we pray.Response
Presider: For what else should we pray…
Presider: We know you hear our prayers; those we speak and those we keep in our hearts. Fill our community with your Love as we come to the stable during this Christmas season. All: Amen
PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
Presider: Blessed are you, O God, Lover of all. This bread is your MMOJ community coming to your birth place in our hearts bringing our faith, hope and love as a gift for you. Through your divine providence, we have this bread to offer, it will become for us the Bread of life. ALL: Praise to God, Emmanuel forever.
Presider: Blessed are you, O God, Creator of all. This wine is our desire to live following your Way of reconciliation, healing and peace. Through your divine providence, we have this wine to offer, it will become our spiritual drink. ALL: Praise to God, Emmanuel forever.
All: Blessed are you, God of all life, through your goodness we have this bread and wine and our own lives to offer as our gifts to you at the stable. Through this sacred meal and the gifts of faith, hope and love may we become your Presence for all. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer.
All Sing: We are holy holy holy (x3) We are whole; You are holy holy holy (x3) You are whole; I am holy (x3) I am whole; We are holy holy holy (x3) We are whole.
All: Come Holy Spirit and settle on this bread and wine. Fill them with the holiness and wholeness of our living Brother our Cosmic Christ born in a stable and living in the center of our souls today.
Remembering Jesus. (hand extended in blessing):
All: On the night before he died, while at supper with his friends, Jesus took bread, broke it, and shared it with those present, saying, “Take this, all of you, and eat. This is my body which will be broken for you.”(Pause)
Then Jesus took a cup of wine and shared it with those present, saying, “Take this all of you and drink. This is the cup of my life-blood. Do this in memory of me.”
All (2nd Invocation of Spirit, with hand on each other’s shoulder): Come Holy Spirit to rest on us. Refreshed from our worship together and joined with Jesus’ parents Joseph and Mary, angels, shepherds, and the wise ones; may we extend your Love and peace to all we meet. Amen
Prayer of Jesus “Our Father and Mother”
Song of Peace Love is flowing like a river, flowing out of you and me, flowing out into the desert, setting all the people free. Hope is flowing…Alleluia
Litany for Breaking of Bread.
Loving God, you call us to know Jesus dwelling within us. We will do so!
Loving God, you call us to live the Gospel of equality, peace and justice for others and earth. We will do so!
Loving God, you call us to be your Presence in the world. We will do so!
Presider: This is Jesus born in a humble stable who liberates, heals and transforms us and our world. All are invited to partake of this banquet of love and to live as the Heart and Hands of Christ in our time. All: We are the Body of Christ.
Prayer of Thanksgiving (Didache, 100CE)
Men 1: For the thanksgiving, give thanks this way: First, for the cup: We thank you, Abba God, for the sacred vine of David your son, whose meaning you made clear to us through our brother Jesus, yours ever be the splendor.
Women 2: And for the bread fragment: We thank you, Amma God, for the life and wisdom whose meaning you made clear to us through Jesus Christ, yours ever be the splendor.
All 3: As this fragment was scattered high on hills, but by gathering was united into one, so let your people from earth’s ends be united into your single reign, for yours are splendor and might through Jesus Christ down the ages.
Prayers of Gratitude from community.
Final Blessing.
All (hand extended over community):
May God’s Light encircle you
May God’s Love enfold you
May God’s Peace encourage you
May God’s Hope fill your heart and soul.
May God’s Presence enrich you
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus in the stable and in our hearts each day. Amen
Presider: Let us go in the peace, joy, and hope of our newly born Prince of Peace, let our service for others continue through all of 2020! All: Thanks be to God.
MMOJ January liturgy will be on the second Thursday January 9.
Thanks to and adapted from a liturgy by Michael and Imogene Rigdon of MMOJ-Sarasota
Readings for Dec 5, 2019
“Come to the Stable of Your Heart”
The First Reading from “The Reed of God” by Caryll Houselander
Working, eating, sleeping, Mary was forming Jesus’ body from hers. From her humanity she gave Jesus his humanity…Washing, weaving, kneading, sweeping, her hands prepared his hands for the nails. Every beat of her heart gave Jesus his heart to love with, his heart to be broken by Love. All her experience of the world about her was gathered to Christ growing in her.
Looking upon the flowers, Mary gave Jesus human sight. Talking with her neighbors, she gave Jesus a human voice—the voice we still hear in the silence of souls saying; “Consider the lilies of the field.” Sleeping in her still room, Mary gave Jesus the sleep of the child in the cradle, the sleep of the young man rocked in the storm-tossed boat. Breaking and eating the bread, drinking the wine of the country, she gave Jesus his flesh and blood; she prepared the host for the Mass.
This time of Advent is absolutely essential to our contemplation, too. If we have truly given our humanity to be changed into Christ, it is essential to us that we do not disturb this time of growth. Advent is a time of darkness, of faith. We shall not see Christ’s radiance in our lives yet; it is still hidden in our darkness.
This is the inspired word of Caryll for our Advent. All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm Response: From the Great O Antiphons by Sr. Chris Schenk, OSJ.
(Women recite a line; men recite a line.)
Women: Come o Wisdom, Sophia’s Child and Mary’s too Bring us back to you.
Men: Come O Adonai, Child of Ancient Israel Set us free of fear, despair, and misogyny.
Women: Come O of Flower of Jesse’s tree, uproot our hatreds. Wash us clean in just-reign waters Plant us deep in thee.
Men: Come O Key of David, Open heaven’s gate. Unlock, unblock, this captive Church too long enthralled with power.
Women: Come O Radiant Dawn, dispel death’s dark shadow. Light the way of all who long. To preach, to teach, to consecrate Heavenly Hosts of God’s indwelling.
All: Come O Emmanuel, God’s gladsome “with us” news, Strengthen weary arms, steady trembling knees. Bring surcease of sorrow.
Second Reading from Pope Francis “Speaks to Our Hearts Words of Challenge and Hope”
“We are His Dwelling Place” pg. 26
Jesus lived the daily reality of the most ordinary people; he was moved as he faced the crowd that seemed like a flock without a shepherd; Jesus wept before the sorrow that Martha and Mary felt at the death of their brother, Lazarus; Jesus called a publican to be his disciple; he also suffered betrayal by a friend.
In Jesus God has given us the certitude the God is with us; God is among us. “Foxes,” Jesus said, “have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has no where to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Jesus has no house, because his house is the people; it is we who are his dwelling place; his mission is to open God’s doors to all, to be the Presence of God’s love. (KZ emphasis)
The inspired words of Pope Francis All: Thanks be to God.
The Gospel according to Matthew 2: 9-11
After their audience with Herod, the astrologers set out. The star which they had observed at its rising went ahead of them until it came to a standstill over the place where the child lay. They were overjoyed at seeing the star and, upon entering the house, found the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and paid homage. Then the astrologers opened their coffers and presented the child with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Good News of Jesus our Brother. All: Thanks be to God.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2020
to you,
your families and friends!
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